Police Chief Bill Blair accepts Doug Ford’s apology

After an abortive initial attempt at an apology, earlier this afternoon Doug Ford released a written retraction of his allegedly defamatory statements about Police Chief Bill Blair. The one-page statement says Ford had “no information or basis to suggest” that the chief was personally responsible for leaking news of Rob Ford’s impending subpoena to the media. During a press conference, a reserved (but clearly triumphant) Blair said that he had accepted Ford’s retraction. “The law does not protect lies or the people who tell them,” Blair told reporters. “They must be held accountable.” As part of the settlement, Ford has agreed to pay $1,000 to Covenant House, a charity that deals with homeless youth, where Blair is a board member.